Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic. Subscribe here to receive daily updates. May 26, 2020 SolBe Families, If you are combating tantrums or acting out (one million weeks into quarantine), pretend or imaginative play is one of the best ways for kiddos to work on developing their ability to self-regulate. To help inspire imaginative play, here is a pretend flower stew project! To kick off this project, pop outside—it’s sunny where we are (woo-woo!). Ignite your kiddos’ imagination even before you start playing! What could you collect outside to add to their flower stew? Acorns? Grass? Flowers? You may need some dirt to thicken the broth! For a more in-depth feature, Beau Kenyon has recommended the article “ Center for Parenting Education, Importance of Pretend Play” . Book to Pair with Project Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth should get the wheels spinning on all of the wonderful elements that your kiddie could include in their stew. This is also a fun way to introduce the concept of composting! Project of the Day: Pretend Flower Stew Materials Bowl Scissors Wooden Spoon Step One Lay everything out you collected on your nature walk. Add in some scissors for older kiddos to snip and prune. Step Two Mix all the goodies together in the bowl. Have the kiddos use the wooden spoon to transport from the table into the bowl. Hand-strengthening and fine motor skill development is always a plus! Step Three There is a wonderful sensory play element to this project. What are some notable observations? Different colors? Different textures? Can younger friends feel the elements…maybe tear them to pieces? Do they float in water? Lots to explore! Most important direction, as always: HAVE FUN! More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome! Above all, be well and stay healthy! The SolBe Team
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